As divers we are excited to explore the underwater world. We spend countless hours in training and thousands of dollars on equipment to see the bright colors of tropical fish and reefs, alien looking sea creatures, and mysterious shipwrecks. Nothing can be worst than beginning your dive and have your mask fog and not being able to see anything. Not only do we miss out on the beauty of the underwater world but it poses a major safety issue as you may be unable to identify risks and resolve issues encountered by you and your dive buddy.
Why do our scuba masks fog?
The temperature difference between the inside and outside of the mask results in the condensation of
Mask lenses have a fine layer of silicon on the lenses that help protect them from becoming scratched during manufacturing and shipping. Unfortunately that silicon is prone to easily fogging.
Mask lenses will collect dirt, oils, and simple microscopic imperfections on the lens during normal use which will also allow for water vapor to collect and fog to form.
New Masks
Some old school divers use a match or lighter to burn off the silicon, however this can be risky to do without damaging your mask. A safe method is to use either a mask scrub (such as 500 PSI Mask Scrub) or plain toothpaste (not mint, gel, whitening, etc.). Wet the inside of the mask slightly and then rub a ¼ inch dab of scrub/ toothpaste with your finger. Apply making small circular motions ensuring you get around the edges of the lens. Continue scrubbing for at least 5-minutes and then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Mask Maintenance
Even after you remove the silicon coating from your mask the lens will still accumulate dirt and oils and will periodically fog. To ensure your mask doesn’t begin to fog midway through your dive it is a good idea to take preventive measures. There are numerous remedies out there but below are our list of favorites:
- Commercial defog solution such as 500 PSI Mask Defog, Jaws Spit Anti-Fog Solution and Cressi Defog just to name a few)
- Baby shampoo
- Dishwashing soap
You apply any of these the same way: rub a small dab throughout the interior of your lens and let dry for a couple minutes. Then rinse out with water but do not wipe it out as you want to maintain a thin preventive coating.
So what happens if you enter the water and forgot to apply defog protection? There is always the tried and true solution of spitting into your mask and rinsing it out! There is a reason this has been used for generations!
Whatever method you chose be sure to take a few minutes to take some basic steps to ensure your dive won’t be ruined by fog and enjoy the beautiful underwater life the ocean provides!
Let’s Dive!
